Generally speaking, residue buildup occurring on thermal printheads (TPH) is a common issue affecting many thermal printers. Such buildup of dirt and other debris can often be traced back to a direct thermal label surface or ribbon backing. Over time, the buildup may solidify and become permanent, resulting in a barrier between the TPH heating elements and thermal labels, and significantly affecting the print quality of produced images. To overcome this issue, heating elements need to be cleaned on a regular basis.
Standard means of preventing buildup often default to providing manual cleaning kits, which are not always user-friendly, and do not guarantee regular maintenance of the system. Modern semi-automated servicing means tend to lack proper integration of the cleaning system with the thermal printers. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,731 issued to Michael et al., and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,958 issued to Burke et al., a cleaning means are maintained the in a fixed position, instead of moving along the printhead for improved efficiency. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,813 issued to Tani, and in Japanese Pat. No. 2006,015,711 issued to Toshiyasu, while the system is configured to move along a printhead, the level of system integration is insufficient to provide a fully automated service.
Therefore, a need exists for an efficient integration of an automatic printhead cleaning system into a thermal printer. In addition to ease of use, automating the cleaning process can serve a preventative function, thus improving the printer's performance and lifespan.